(Continuing the break from our three messed-up protagonists, some insight into why and how Tad Strange has taken over the town.)
Tad Strange stood trapped in the circle with Y/N, staring at the two idiot demons who had managed to capture him somehow. Inwardly, he was seething, but he managed not to show any of it on his face.
Bill Cipher... he thought malevolently. How I've always hated you...
You took over my dimension. It wasn't YOURS to destroy. You forced me out of my home and ruined everything I ever valued. Now I'm here alone, with nothing but a cat, and you have the nerve to be happy after everything you've done.
Y/N looked up at Strange trustingly. He could reach into her mind right now, rip out everything that made her an individual, and laugh as Bill helplessly watched her collapse into a vegetable... That would be temporarily satisfying, but his revenge needed to be more complete.
Bill... he thought again, impassively watching the other make empty threats. How can I destroy you? Not physically, but emotionally? I've already got your favorite human in my clutches, but obviously that hasn't deterred you much.
I can make you watch your world come crumbling down, rip everything you love away from you like you did to me, and THEN I'll kill you.
He wondered how he could go about this in a way that would hurt Bill the most. I can do the same thing to this world that he did to our original one... with my own personal spin, of course.
Unbeknownst to Bill, Strange had brought a souvenir from their home world. It was hidden in his house now, waiting for the day Strange decided it was necessary. He reached out mentally to his "cat," who was actually a lesser demon.
Khoshekh, he projected. Smash the rift.
He knew the cat had been successful when the ground began to shake. Strange almost laughed at the comically shocked look on Bill's face as his oh-so-clever plan failed. As soon as the earthquake cracked the flagstones and broke the circle, Strange took Y/N and vanished.
He stashed Y/N at his house for the time being, waving his hand and putting her to sleep until the town was under his control. He left her in Khoshekh's care, then popped briefly back to the ridiculous Tent of Telepathy, another idea forming.
He had seen how Bill had acted so protective towards his frightened brother. It's not like the Bill I know to actually care... but I can use this to my advantage as well.
Mabel had been more than happy to give up Will to Strange's control. A demon couldn't hold another demon's contract directly, but Strange knew all the tricks. He briefly considered trying to take control of Bill personally, but apparently Bill's contract with the Gleefuls wasn't ironclad like Will's was.
Mabel cackled as they shook hands. Twisted witch.
With the deal made, Strange promptly whisked Will right out from behind his oblivious brother. Remembering what Bill had done to the Pines of his world, Bill decided to make it personal once again and stashed Will inside a magic bubble. I remember Mabel's bubble was an enticing trap that enchanted its victims into never wanting to leave. Will's prison, sadly, will not be so comfortable. He was almost sympathetic for a moment, thinking of what was in store for the blue weakling. To strengthen his resolve, he traveled back to the dimension he had once called home.
It was even worse off than he remembered. This world's version of his town was completely devastated. Even after all these years, the fires still burned in places. Strange gazed at the destruction from above, allowing his sorrow to fuel his rage at Bill. Just to make this even more personal, he plucked the empty Fearamid from its place in the sky and brought it with him.
With the rift broken, it was child's play to manipulate the minds of the town to become docile and unobtrusive. The love of bread was a frivolous touch, but it amused him. When he was through with this world, everything would be as this town was. He wasn't like Bill, who idolized chaos. Under Strange's rule, everything would be orderly.
I didn't want this, Bill, Strange cursed to himself, standing at the top of the Fearamid and surveying his new domain. I only wanted to live peacefully. But you ruined everything for me, and now I'll ruin everything for you. And this entire world with it.